bconnected index 1 2 3 5 7 9 10 MIAMI
Much more than sun and sand
HISTORICAL NOTES bmoving Getting around in Miami
Gastronomy & MAIN FESTIVALS AND EVENTS baround Neighbours in Miami
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bmiami Other places of interest
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HistoricalNotes T
Miami
MUCH MORE THAN SUN AND SAND he youngest of the great US metropolis cities boasts of endless sand dunes, ocean breezes, palm trees, sun and “chiringuitos” (beach bars), as well as art deco and all-night parties with that ‘Latino’ flavour. Miami, known as the gateway to Latin America, has an Hispanic population of 60% - including Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Ecuadorians, Brazilians, Haitians, Dominicans, Mexicans and, of course, Cubans. And it’s not hard to see why: considered a hot spot for exiles fleeing from Fidel Castro’s regime since the seventies, Miami is also the financial and cultural epicentre of Florida, the panhandle located on the south-east tip of the United States. Still a mere trading port just a century ago, the city has since grown rapidly on the sea front, achieving its status as a world-renowned city of leisure. The home of acclaimed musicians such as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Enrique
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Iglesias and Alejandro Sanz, every inch of Miami is bursting with life, blending glassfront skyscrapers in the business district
with the vibrant colours of Ocean Drive and beach huts of Little Haiti. If you’re up for a good time, Miami is the place for you.
A practical guide
he first inhabitants of this area were the Apache, Tequesta, Timucua and Calusa Indians, who settled here about 3,000 years ago. These were all wiped out by the Seminole Inidians, who emigrated to Georgia and Florida fleeing from the English colonies. They settled there at the start of the nineteenth century, under the approval of Spain (who saw them as allies). Florida was discovered by Juan Ponce de León in 1513, whose expedition, however, failed to produce settlements partly due to the hot, humid climate, the insects and the hostility of the Indians. At that time, almost the entire southern part of the peninsula was made up of boggy wetland infested with mosquitoes and alligators - far from our modern-day image of a tropical paradise. It is now known that Miami was once a fishing village and humble trading port, occupied by only a handful of souls, some of whom were considered as visionaries. One of these was Julia Tuttle, a brave widow who left behind the icy winters of Cleveland in 1891 to grow citrus fruits on the banks of the Miami river. And Julia was convinced of the area’s potential from the moment she arrived. With the support of other families such as the Brickells, the Merricks and the Fishers, she offered half of her land to wealthy railroad developer Henry Flagler in exchange for rail tracks, which would help build a new city on what at the time was considered hostile territory. Although Flagler initially expressed doubts about the success of the project, he finally conceded and region’s very first railway was opened in 1896. In that same year, Miami acquired city status, with its population exceeding 300 people.
Filthy-rich sun-seekers At the beginning of the last century, the settlement started to draw the eye of the wealthy who, aside from being allured by the sun, wanted to play a part in Miami’s growth. They began to build mansions on the seafront. People of different descent and from distinct cultures started to arrive in Miami: the first mayor was an Irish Catholic, the majority of the shopkeepers were Jewish, and a community of Bahamians soon arose. Urban growth seemed unstoppable in the 1920s, and the housing prices quadrupled in just five years. It was during this period that the legendary real estate developer George Merrick established the first apartment complex, Coral Gables, which was soon followed by Miami Springs, Opa-Locka and Miami Beach. Meanwhile, Carl Fisher built luxurious hotels and polo and golf courses to keep the well-off happy. Properties were continuously changing hands - sometimes even in the same day - and always at higher prices. However, the land boom was cut short by a destructive hurricane in 1926 and the collapse of the Stock Exchange in 1929, the source of the Great Depression. This concluded the first phase of development.
Cuban Exile
neighbourhood known today as South Beach. After the outbreak of the Second World War, thousands of soldiers gathered in training camps on the outskirts of Miami, many of whom returned to make their homes there after the conflict, contributing to the development of the city. Thousands of refugees fled Cuba when Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959, creating a population upsurge in some of the city’s poorer neighbourhoods. By the end of the decade more than 300,000 Cubans had reached the coast of Florida, a wave which was repeated in 1980. According to the 1962 census, the population at that point exceeded one million. Although this migratory shift broke down certain cultural barriers and many expats were thriving, there was an increase in racial violence among AfroAmericans. Other political conflicts led to a huge influx of people from Central and South America, converting Miami into an authentic gateway to Latin America. The last devastating hurricane to strike this region was Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which caused enormous structural damage as well leaving many homeless. Nowadays, revolving around the trade and service industries with a mass interest in tourism, Miami has become the “Cruise Capital of the World”, and has one of the five biggest airports in the United States.
Miami was the first to emerge out of the crisis in the early 1930s, spearheaded by the aeronautical industry. The Florida-based Pan American Airways, better known as Pan Am, set the modern era in motion advertising Miami as “The Gateway to the Americas.” New buildings and hotels surfaced, many in art deco style, in the
The information given in this guide is by no means exhaustive, but focuses on the top spots for visitors. Bear in mind that Miami is an urban metropolis inhabited by more than two million people spanning a countless number of districts, and forms part of the county of Miami Dade. Just a few kilometres outside the centre tourists can find some unparalleled sights, such as the Everglades National Park, offering a fascinating blend of both terrestrial and aquatic fauna, and the Florida Keys. However, this guide concentrates on the well-known urban hot spots while taking a peek at a few places off the beaten track, where we can capture the true spirit of Miami and check out the day-to-day goings-on in the city.
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Gastronomy
Ravours of the sea Miami offers a huge selection of restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. The local cuisine relies heavily on fresh seafood and fish. There are many small restaurants offering high class American cuisine, far removed from the stereotypical fast food chains, while Cuban food is everywhere. Miami stands out for its huge selection of Cuban restaurants. In contrast to other states, where cooking styles form part of the cultural identity - such as example
Louisiana’s cajun recipes or the Texan barbeque - Miami has a wide range of gastronomy with diverse flavours and ingredients, which reflect the multicultural character of the state. It prides itself on boasting huge quantities of fresh products, ranging from tropical fruit to seafood. And it’s no coincidence that the most prestigious cooking contest in the U.S. takes place in Miami, entered by many of the nation’s top chefs and acting as a stage for some of the most
famous wines around. Spoilt by an array of dishes, which vary depending on the stall and the restaurant, visitors can taste exquisite cuisine such as ravioli stuffed with crab and scallops, grouper with pistachios and mango, sushi,crispy duck with a caramelised vinegar sauce, cassava pie stuffed with lobster, ceviche, and, for dessert, pecan and caramel brownie.
Getting around in Miami Useful tips
The United States is a country that spans several time zones. Miami is 5 hours behind GMT. Florida is known as The Sunshine State, and rightly so: the climate is one of its main attractions, with sunshine and high temperatures nearly all year round – so don’t forget to take your sun cream. However, the heat can sometimes be alleviated by a cool ocean breeze. Peak season falls in winter in Europe and in the rest of the United States, so it is a good idea to visit Miami between April and October when accommodation is cheaper and there are more rooms available. Summers are scorching, and are only made worse by the stifling humidity. The average temperature in August, the muggiest month of all, ranges from 26ºC to 31ºC. During the other months, there is no great variation in temperature but it can be far less humid. This humidity heats up the surrounding waters and generates storms, which can be common on summer afternoons. The wettest month is June. Hurricanes, which are very prevalent in the gulf of Mexico, occur mainly between July and October. You should consult the weather forecast daily to check for any incoming weather fronts, as it can sometimes be necessary to evacuate the area. Public transport is efficient, offering the Tri-Rail, Metrobus, Metrorail and Metromover to get around. Some tourists prefer to hire a car, although they come up against many obstacles such as traffic, lack of parking spaces and a maze of neighbour3
hoods which merge into one. In almost all cases, public transport has facilities for disabled travellers. Timetables vary between weekdays and weekends. The TriRail is most commonly used for long distance journeys, connecting Miami with Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The 22-mile Metrorail line connects 22 stations each spread about one mile apart. The lines run between Kendall Drive and Palmetto and across South Miami, Coral Gables and the centre, and the service includes transfers to Tri-rail and Metrobus. The whole journey takes 42 minutes and trains run between 5:00am and midnight. Trains pass every 10 to 20 minutes, every 6 minutes during rush hour and every half hour after 8:00pm. The fare increases $1.25 per zone. The Metrobus has 107 lines which cover the whole region, from Miami Beach to West Miami-Dade and from Middle Keys to the southern tip of Broward County. The blue and green bus stops display lists of routes and destinations. The fare is $1.25 per journey. Some lines operate 24 hours a day, and all lines connect with the Metrorail and the Metromover. Finally, the latest and most futuristic means of transport – the monorail – runs automatically (without a driver), shuttling passengers around the city centre. It is made up of three routes which link up with the other public transport services, and runs daily from 5:00am until midnight, every three minutes or every 90 seconds during rush hour. And what’s more – it’s free, it’s got air conditioning, and it gives passengers some great views
into the heart of Miami. The city has a lot of taxis, but they don’t usually stop in the street. They can be picked up at taxi ranks, although it’s more common to order taxis by phone. A daily ferry service runs from 10:00am to 11:00pm. It costs $7 per a single trip, $12 for a return and $15 for a one-day travel pass. In terms of safety, Miami has now shaken off the bad reputation it earned in the eighties. Today, its image as the crime and drug capital of America, propagated through millions of homes by the Miami Vice television series, is no more than a false misconception. If you know which areas to avoid and are willing to follow advice, you can be sure to have a safe visit. That said, it’s advisable to avoid the districts of Overtown and Liberty City, which lie between the airport and the centre. We wouldn’t recommend you explore Little Haiti alone either. At night, it’s best to avoid quieter areas, including the centre, and to head into more lively areas such as Coconut Grove and South Beach. Most businesses open from 9.00am until 5.00pm on weekdays, although, being a popular tourist hangout, there are places open 24 hours. It’s not compulsory to leave a tip, although in restaurants it’s fairly common to leave around 15% of the total bill, and the same goes for taxis. Porters and bellboys usually expect a dollar in exchange for their services.
Main festivals and events Art Deco Weekend Mid-January sees an exhibition dedicated entirely to this architectural style, with visits to the historical buildings that line South Beach’s Ocean Drive. Coconut Grove Art Festival Held in the middle of February, this festival attracts artists from all over the country who come to exhibit their work, as well as offering music and food displays. Miami International Film Festival Both independent and feature-length films are shown for ten days, starting in early February.
South Beach Food and Wine Festival Wine tasting and cooking demonstrations take place on the beachfront, at the end of February. Carnival At the beginning of March, the city enjoys nine days of parades, dancing, fireworks and shows with a distinctly Latin flavour, especially in Little Havana. Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival This Caribbean party takes place in the first week of June in Coconut Grove, offering an abundance of food and all kinds of entertainment.
Independence Day Fireworks Look on from Bayfront Park and commemorate the country’s declaration of independence. The event schedule is also packed with concerts and parades. Reggae Festival The very best groups of the genre perform in Bayfront Park at the beginning of August. Festival of Hispanic Culture. Lasts for the whole of October, commemorating the discovery of America and the role of Latin Americans in the evolution of the United States. The event is held at different locations around Miami-Dade County. 4
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the fun-loving. Its streets, with a strong cosmopolitan flavour, are lined with designer shops and the most avant-garde late night bars playing both salsa beats and techno tunes. South Beach, with its white sugar sand, towering palm trees and crystal blue waters, stretches from Lincoln Road Mall to South Pointe Park: the southernmost tip, perfect for surfing, fishing or taking in the sunset. Don’t get lost in this historic district, brimming with art deco and boasting some 800 architectural gems. Miami’s self-assured yet hedonistic side is particularly evident in this part of town, home to actors, singers, models and drag queens. The beach has a diverse atmosphere with surfers, coastguards, bathers, rollerbladers and joggers all over.
Coconut Grove
Located on the border of Biscayne Bay, south of Miami city centre, this is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the city. This area’s bohemian roots perhaps have something to do with its appeal, attracting artists, intellectuals and new-age hippies looking for a summer retreat. Coconut Grove was developed at the beginning of the last century as a winter tourist resort for rich northerners. For a time, the area laid claim to possessing the only hotel in the city, built in 1880. It is now a popular spot, largely thanks to its village feel, with art galleries, theatres, discos, restaurants, cafes and shops. The area is famous for being one of Miami’s best shopping districts, as proven by The Gallery at Cocowork – a stylish shopping centre packed with restaurants, bars, shops and even a cinema: a stark contrast to the Bahamian community living in humble abodes on Grand Avenue. Their ancestors, living as sailors in search of salvaged treasure from wrecked vessels, arrived on the coast in the mid-19th century. This area comes to life in the Goombay Festival held in June: an marvellous display of Caribbean music, parades and an abundance of food.
Coral Gables Downtown Miami
The shopping and business centre abounds with tall skyscrapers, government buildings and cultural centres. It is also home to the world’s biggest cruise ship port, as well as the bustling Bayside Marketplace, a shopping and leisure complex right on the seafront, set around a small pier dotted with bars, shops, restaurants, a variety of stalls and docks offering boats for hire. This is the main stop for water taxis and the boarding point for boats offering tours around the bay. The coastal skyline is dominated by the American Airlines Arena, a stadium regularly packed to the rafters with more than 20.000 spectators during Miami Heat NBA games and music concerts. The Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, the flamboyant venue of the Miami Film Festival and other cultural events, is also located nearby. Bricknell Avenue, which less than a century ago was merely a developing settlement, is now lined with the biggest banks and international company head offices. The Metromover, a raised automatic monorail that operates without a driver, allows fantastic views of the heart of the metropolis. Some of the financial district’s towering giants include the Wachovia Financial Centre and the Bank of America, noted for their changing night-lighting.
Little Havana
The Cuban exile capital since the 1960s, every inch of Little Havana radiates patriotic nostalgia. The first Caribbeans to reach the coast settled in the south east of Calle Ocho, adapting their surroundings to remind them of their beloved homeland. Cuba is brought closer to Miami thanks to the intense aroma of coffee, guava trees, the sound of dominos, local restaurants, and the smell of Havana and Capilla cigars wafting down the main road. The famous Calle Ocho is the commercial focal point of this area, although Máximo Gómez Park – commonly known as Domino Park for its heated domino games – is also brimming with life. Further on, Little Havana is notorious for the distinctive Paseo de la Fama, dedicated to a near-thirty Latin American celebrities including Rocio Jurado, Luis Miguel, Thalia and Julio Iglesias, not to mention other actors, boxers, stylists and television presenters.
Described as a town built by dreamers, spearheaded by the Merrick family, this elegant, Mediterranean-style residential area, located south east of Miami city centre, was founded by real estate developer George Merrick during the urban boom of the 1920s. Nowadays, some of the city’s best architecture can be found in the midst of its wide avenues, canals and parks, examples of which include the Biltmore Hotel and the Venetian pool. The neighbourhood is also well known for its art galleries, golf courses and the exclusive Miracle Mile shopping street.
Key Biscayne
Connecting Miami with the Rickenbacker highway, this key combines typical Florida-style houses with ostentatious mansions, owned by the wealthiest residents in the area. It claims to have the best beaches in the state, as well as some of the finest parks including Bill Baggs, Cape Florida State, Recreation Area and Crandon Park. The lighthouse alone makes a visit to the key worthwhile. Just before Key Biscane is the Virginia Key, home to the Miami Sea Aquarium, which offers marine-life shows with sea lions, dolphins, and killer whales.
Miami Beach
Sitting on a long island which connects to Miami via four different highways, this area of land is home to various costal towns. The white sand and lively promenade, perfect for jogging or just taking a stroll, are its main attractions.
Amid downtown in the east and Coral Gables in the west, Little Havana has become an increasingly diverse society since the arrival of Columbians, Peruvians, Mexicans and Argentineans. It is precisely this blend of cultures that gives this neighbourhood so much character. Other eye-catching features include the vibrant colour that penetrates every inch of Little Havana, which can be seen, for example, in murals that depict scenes from Cuba. Then there’s the roadside food stalls serving baho (Cuban stew) and natural fruit juices. And lastly, the streets filled with anti-Castro monuments, which come to life in a packed party atmosphere during the March carnival - one of the most-visited popular events in the United States.
Little Haiti
As well as the large Cuban community, Miami is also home - metaphorically speaking - to a Little Bogota, a Little Managua and a Little Caracas. Of all these small Latin American developments we recommend Little Haiti, located just north of Little Havana. This refuge for Haitian immigrants is characterised by its colourful Caribbean houses painted yellow, red, green and blue. The epicentre of this district lies on NE 2nd Avenue, between 54th Street and 79th Street. Voodoo references, wood workshops in the Caribbean Marketplace (a Puerto Principe-style open-air market), dried fish from overseas and combinations of tropical fruits transport you to the exotic Caribbean. For your own safety, it’s advisable not to wander around this area alone or at night.
South Beach
For real glitz and glamour, this area - better known as SoBe - is the most fashionable part of the city, and a magnet for the famous and 5
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Biltmore Hotel
The Coral Gables community was designed by George Edgar Merrick (18861942), one of the visionaries committed to the urban development of Miami. The Biltmore Hotel is one of the most lavish and spectacular buildings in this area, whose construction cost some ten million dollars. Its most striking feature is the tower, which resembles the Giralda in Seville, while its history is enthralling. In the 1920s - its golden era - the hotel put up a list of celebrities from Al Capone, through to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and US singer and actress Judy Garland. Used in the Second World War as a military hospital, it was later converted to a hospital for war veterans, which it remained until 1968. Visitors are greeted by the huge lobby surrounded by Herculean columns, and must not miss the immense swimming pool where, in the thirties, Johnny Weismuller best known as the actor who played Tarzan - broke the world swimming record.
Vizcaya The grandeur of the Biltmore Hotel is equalled, if not surpassed, by Vizcaya: a villa with renaissance-style gardens, built in 1916 at the express wish of agricultural industrialist James Deering. This wealthy businessman suffered from anaemia and, fo-
The art deco of Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, a key that sits directly facing the Florida peninsula, appeals not only for its long stretches of sandy shoreline. South Beach, or “SoBe”, situated on Florida’s southernmost tip, runs from 6th Street to 23rd Street between Lenox Avenue and Ocean Drive. The latter prides itself on having the world’s greatest concentration of art deco buildings. This style, based on a mixture of movements and artistic solutions from the beginning of the last century which include constructivism, cubism and futurism, is renowned for its use of geometry and intense shades of colour. This group of more than 80 blocks and 800 buildings was the first 20th century structure to be included in the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to the conservation campaign led by Barbara Capitman. Though initially seen as just a few rows of cheap 1930’s hotels and pastel-coloured flats, these buildings have since appreciated, and now hold an unquestionable patrimonial value. Suffering the consequences of the Great Depression, architects chose to use cheap materials but at the same 7
time attempted to retain some elegance by incorporating flamencos, sunsets, cheerful nautical motifs – like portholes – and neon lights. The bright colours have become a trade mark of this coastal area, and have even been adopted for selected coastguard posts along the beach. The Art Deco Welcome Center, located at 1001 Ocean Drive, is well worth a visit and leaves all visitors appreciating this unique and exceptional architectural style. It offers all kinds of art deco maps, plans, books and souvenirs, not to mention antiques. One of the most famous streets in Florida, most of Ocean Drive’s hotels have been restored, including the Beacon which dates back to 1936. A contemporary blend of colours characterise this deco dazzle style - introduced in the eighties by designer Leonard Horowitz - and the abstract decoration around the windows gives it a nice touch. The Hotel Cardozo (1939) is a late work of Henry Hobhauser, a leading advocate of the art deco movement. Go for a wander into the adjoining streets, such as Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue, which boast their own art deco
llowing the advice of his doctors, decided to trade in the icy winters of Chicago for the warm coasts of Miami. Vizcaya is far more than just a mansion; in fact, thanks to its 34 bedrooms decorated in the most diverse styles and its antique works of art, furniture, paintings, tapestries, musical instruments and numerous other objets d’art, it qualifies as a museum. This monument encompasses the evolution of the different artistic and architectural movements: the library, with its English neoclassical design; the reception with baroque airs; and the living room, which has been described as a replica of one from the renaissance. Deering himself moved to the Old Continent, along with decorator Paul Chalfin, to purchase most of the objects that now adorn the four corners of the mansion. The music room - perhaps the most beautiful quarter of this palatial residence - is lit up by an incredible chandelier, while a passageway at the back of the mansion allows access to the swimming pool, which can be seen from outside. This stunning house has played host to the likes of Queen Isabel II of England, King Juan Carlos I of Spain and Pope John Paul II, and has provided the set for several films including Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. The hurricane that struck Miami in 1926 caused serious damage to the building, which was finally handed over to the local authorities by Deering’s heirs in 1952 on the condition that it be opened to the public as a museum.
Holocaust Memorial
Miami Beach is home to one of the largest communities of Holocaust survivors in the world, so it’s not surprising that it boasts a moving monument dedicated to the victims of Nazism, as a symbol of hope. The memorial is an enormous arm of bronze reaching for the sky, designed to appear as the last gesture of a dying man. Completed in 1990 thanks to donations from individuals, many of whom Jewish, it is inscribed with a serial number from Auschwitz and covered by more than one hundred life-sized figures of men, women and children, doubled over in pain. Kenneth Treister’s creation, one of the most impressive in Florida, is completed with a list of European concentration camps stretching around the central square, and a granite wall inscribed with the names of thousands of Holocaust victims.
Bass Museum of Art Not far from the Holocaust Memorial is this small but interesting museum which exhibits paintings, sculptures and European tapestries from the 15th to the 17th century. Its galleries exhibit permanent collections made up of over 2,800 works, many of which were donated in 1964 by philanthropists John and Johanna Bass.
gems such as the classic Marlin Hotel and, further north, the luxurious Delano Hotel – home to some original furniture pieces by Gaudi and Dalí. On Central Miami Beach, a stretch located just north of 23rd Street, stands the magnificent, eye-catching Fontainebleau Hotel, a modern version of an historic French castle. This provided the backdrop for a selection of scenes from the 1970’s James Bond classic, Goldfinger.
Venetian Pool
A limestone quarry provided the materials to build this, one of the most mesmerising public swimming pools in the world. Coral caves and waterfalls decorate it with a genuine celestial beauty, which seems far from anything on earth. Created in 1923 by Denman Fink and Phineas Paist, it is decorated in true Venetian style, combining a cobbled bridge, dreamy water fountains, passages entwined with grapevines and crystal clear waters, which invite you to dive right in. The place to be in Coral Gables during its inaugural years, the Venetian Pool is now the only one of its kind; an ideal spot to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
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it has received numerous awards for its breeding of rare and endangered species. Its main attractions include gorillas, Malayan bears and white Bengal tigers.
culture - and one of the liveliest urban capitals in the world - has room for it all.
Fairchild Tropical Garden
Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts An artistic focal point of Miami Beach, this venue offers Broadway shows, dance recitals and concerts with the Florida-based Philharmonic Orchestra.
This magnificent, 33-hectare botanical garden is buried deep in the south of Coral Gables. It contains a remarkable collection of palm trees (one of the largest in the world) as well as other varieties and exotic plants like the sausage tree (Kigelia africana). Founded in 1938, it is also considered an important institution in the field of botanical research. It is positioned around 11 artificial lakes, and gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the use of botanical plants in the medical and perfume industries.
Wings Over Miami This museum just south of Coral Gables specialises in the preservation and exhibition of old aeroplanes, including a 1943 AT6D Old Timer and a Douglas B-23 Dragon.
SHOWS Like all large U.S. cities, Miami offers an almost limitless number of shows catering for all tastes. Sports events, opera shows, concerts… this leading city of Hispanic
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST Calle Ocho This famous centre point, which spans 30 blocks, is the most important commercial road in Little Havana, and represents the emotional heart of Cuban exile. The liveliest stretch sits between 11th and 17th Avenue; this main strip is scattered with monuments such as the eternal flame, honouring the members of the 2506 Brigade who, in 1961, with support from the U.S., died in an attempt to invade Cuba to overthrow the communist regime introduced by Fidel Castro. The locals meet here every year on April 17th to commemorate this event. The original El Crédito Cigar Factory is close to the intersection between Calle Ocho and 11th Avenue. Opened in Havana in 1907, it was later moved to Miami in 1968. The pavement is embedded with a number of stars bearing the names of famous Latin Americans, including Julio 9
Iglesias, Andy Garcia and Gloria Estefan, in a tropical version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ancient Spanish Monastery Built in the 17th century near Segovia (Spain), it was the home of Cistercian monks for 700 years. After the confiscation of the church’s assets, it was converted into a farm and stable until it was bought by newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, who ordered the 11,000 stones to be packed up, with the intention of shipping them to California. However, his plans were thwarted by an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, for which the boxes had to be opened to examine the packing hay used inside. The stones were then put back into the boxes in the wrong order. The shipment remained in New York
Theatres
Art Deco Colony Theatre Located on South Beach, it offers a programme that includes dance, theatre, music and cinema, all in an intimate atmosphere. Edge Theater Comedies and classics from the last century are performed on stage. Coconut Grove Playhouse Known for its innovative productions.
Music
The New World Symphony performs from the end of September to early May at the historic Lincoln Theater on Miami Beach. Many Latin American artists also see Miami as an important stop on their international tours, including Shakira. Concerts are often staged in the American Airlines Arena, located on the seafront downtown.
ve repertoire, which merges classical and contemporary dance, and their list of venues includes the Jackie Gleason Theater.
Cinema
Many of Miami’s shopping centres include a multi-screen cinema. Lovers of the seventh art in its most alternative form should head to the Hill Oxford Cinema, found at the Miami University in Coral Gables.
Sport
Boasting some of the top teams in the main professional leagues, Miami is an excellent place for sport. The Miami Heat are strong NBA contenders every season, which runs from November to April, and play their games in the American Airlines Arena. The Miami Dolphins are one of American football’s strongest sides, and compete at the Pro Placer Stadium between August and December. And, of course, the Florida Marlins take centre stage during the baseball season from April to September. The state of Florida is also a Mecca for enthusiasts of golf, scuba diving and fishing.
Dance
The Miami City Ballet have a strong international reputation thanks to their extensi-
until 1952, prior to which Hearst, due to financial difficulties, was forced to sell his puzzling possessions. Only after a staggering 19 months of work did the monastery resemble its former self, with the exception of a few unidentified ashlars which were piled up in the garden - now a popular backdrop for wedding photographs shot on the outskirts of Miami.
Miami Metrozoo Located to the south of Miami, it is renowned as an enormous artistic zoo housing more than 700 animals, which are separated from visitors by a number of simple ditches. Covering 116 hectares, the Metrozoo offers everything the family needs for an enjoyable and entertaining day out: animal shows, tram and monorail rides, souvenir shops, food stalls and a playground. Considered one of the top zoos in the country,
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